News archive

News archive - May-2011

It is not a case of South Africa needing to support either small- or large-scale farming, but that both are important for the country’s development, says business organisation Agricultural Business Chamber (ABC) CEO Dr John Purchase.

Specifically, large-scale farming will provide food security and sustainable agriculture, while support for the development of small-scale farming will improve household food security, social stability and reduce the drive towards urbanisation.

The ABC leadership was invited to a meeting between the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) and commercial farmers. After the meeting was opened, Minister Nkwinti presented the audience with his views on the various Land Reform models. He specified that assisting land reform beneficiaries and emerging farmers cannot be done by government alone, hence this important engagement.

The Minister emphasised the benefit of interacting with farmers and role players to enable government’s ability to achieve land reform targets. “Closing the gap through talking solves many problems”. The Minister urged for better communication, especially between beneficiaries and neighbouring commercial farmers. However, he depicted that the beneficiaries should ask for assistance. “Dit het niks te doen met kleur nie”, the Minster said, when he said black and white farmers should de-racialize the rural economy and stand together to speak with one voice, and defend with one voice their property and farming interests.

Johannesburg, South Africa; 20 July 2011: Africa investor (Ai), a leading international investment research and communications group, today announced the shortlist for the 2011 Ai Agribusiness Awards, which reward organisations, companies and personalities driving transactions and improving the continent’s agribusiness investment climate.

The Ai Agribusiness Investment Awards will formally recognise the importance agribusiness investment has on economic development across the continent. The Awards reward achievements across the main agribusiness and finance sectors in Africa. Last year’s Award winners included: African Export-Import Bank; African Development Bank; Nestlé; Presidential Initiative for Banana Industrial Development (PIBID); Silk Invest and ABSA, amongst others.